Electric switch.



No. 738,952. PATENTED-SEPT.15, 1-903. WQ H. SPILLER. ELECTRIC SWITGH...

APPLICATION PIT ED SEPT 25 1902 s sums-431E111 1L N0 MODEL.

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No. 738,952. I PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

W. H. SPILLER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 25. 1902.

NO MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C No. 738,952. 1 PATEN TED SEPT. 15, 1903. W. H. SPILLER. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED $21 125. 19oz. 1 no MODEL. 3 snzmsqsgnnr a.

UNITED STATES.

, Patented September 15, 1903. PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM H. SPILLER, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO COBURN TROLLEY TRACK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WIL- LIMANSETT, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,952, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed September 25, 1902. Serial No. 124.799. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'WILLIAM H. SPILLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at l-Iolyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Switches, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrical-switch construction, and has special reference to the construction of an automatic reversing-switch, the object of the invention being to provide a switch of this character whereby, for example,

- lenoid Z) is properly secured.

a motor may be automatically reversed by the act of opening and closing the electrical operating-circuit by which the motor is operated. This example is cited, however, only in illustration of one of the many uses to which the switch may be applied. Other uses will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in this art.

In the drawings forming part of this speci fication, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a switch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, taken substantially through the center thereof. Fig. 3 is a'plan view of a bracket on the front of the switch, the contact-posts thereon being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a front elevation showing the parts in a different position to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan and rear elevation of a guide-plate on the front of the switch. Fig. 6 is a sectional view 011 line 6 6, Fig. 4, of a vertically-sliding part on the front of the switch. Fig. 7 is a perspective View from the rear side of a reversingfinger and its support, the parts being represented in separated relations. Fig. Sis atop plan view of an oscillating frame which carries switch-arms, the manner of connecting the arms together electrically being also shown. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuits of the switch, a source of energy, a motor, and the switch-operating solenoid.

Referring now to the drawings, a indicates a metal or other suitable box in which a so- The armature or core of the latter is indicated by c, and the two ends of the wire of the solenoid are taken through the casing at any desired point, as at d, Fig. 1, and 6 indicates these ends. The lower end of the core 0 is connected by means of a bar fwith a slide g, which is fitted to slide vertically close to the face of the casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being guided and retained in proper alinement by its engagement with two bosses h, planed out to receive it and shown in detail in Fig. 6. Near the upper end of this slide 9 there is pivotally mounted thereon an oscillating adjusting-finger i, the lower portion of which isV-shaped, and at the end of the arms of the V are two downturned ears j. As the circuit in which the solenoid is included is opened and closed andthe core 0 has imparted thereto a vertical movement therein, the slide g moves with it, and upon each downward movement of the slide one of the earsj of the oscillating finger 2' engages an abutment alternately on either side of a central vertical line drawn through the axis of said finger, and thus tilts the point of the finger to the right or the left, as the case may be. This movement of the finger 2' is effected as follows: On the front of the casing, near the bottom. thereof, there is secured a plate 7c, vertically slotted to permit of its proper adjustment relative to the position of the slide 9 when the latter is at its lowest point. On the back of this plate near the upper end a tappet-finger m is pivotally mounted, whose tapered point looks upward and which is supported in this position by a spring 11., let. into a groove in the plate, as

shown in Fig. 7, the ends of which spring eX- tend above the upper edge of said plate and bear against opposite sides of said finger m to hold its point substantially on the vertical central line of the slide g. Preferably the finger t oscillates under some slight frictional restraint to the end that aft-er it has been tilted in one direction by contact with the finger m it will remain in this position until it is struck on the opposite side of said finger and swung in an opposite direction. However, to insure the retention of the fingeri in the position to which it is swung by the point m a centrally-located guiding-web 0 is adjustably secured to the casing ata point just above the end of the finger t, to the end that as the latter is swung to one side in the manner described the point of the finger i will, as the core 0 enters the solenoid, be restrained by contact with said web 0 from being swung back toward the vertical until the circuit through the solenoid has been broken and the core 0 permitted to drop, whereby the point of the finger 1' will be free to swing under the web 0. Fig. 5 shows this web and the bracket to which it is secured, there being two Views thereof, one in plan and one in side eleva tion. It is thus apparent that the making and breaking of the circuit in which the solenoid is included will impart to the finger 2'- vertical movements, the point of the finger as a result of said movements being inclined and held in aposition pointing alternately to the right and to the left upon successive upward movements thereof.

There is hung on the casing at the point p a swinging switch-frame q, having two parallel arms located at right angles to the face of the box a. On each of the arms of the frame q are the insulated spring contact-fingers, 7' and s on one side and t and u on the other, each of these fingers being preferably provided at its lower end with a carbon button to prevent sparking, these all being indicated by the letter W.

From a point on the frame q centrally below the pivotal point thereof the two sides of the lower edge of said frame taper upward, said tapered port-ions terminating in a notch w on each side of the frame for the reception of the point of the adjusting-finger i, which in its upward movement will thus swing the frame (1 first to the right and then to the left, bringing the carbon buttons 1: of the contact-fingers r and s and t and u alternately into contact with the posts as and g which are mounted on a support ,2, extending outwardly from the face of the casing, said posts being insulated from said support. From each side of the frame q a spiral spring q extends to some fixed point on the casing and preferably to thebinding-posts, (shown in Figs. 1 and 45,) which will be referred to later on. The movements of the frame (1 take place against the tension of these springs, and these may and do herein serve as conductors for carrying the current to the contact-fingers? and s and t and it through suitable connections between the latter, which will be described in their properplace.

In the upper end of the solenoid, as shown in Fig. 2, there islocated a fixed core 0, which is screwed into the upper end of the opening through the solenoid and which is vertically adjustable therein, being retained. in its adjusted position by a check-nut 0 This short and closing of the circuit in which the solenoid I is included the above-described parts may be operated to reverse the current through the field of the motor, and tnus reverse the rotative movements of the armature thereof, and the construction of these connections will now be described, reference being had to the diagrammatic view shown-in Fig. 9 for this purpose. In this figure of the drawings the switch-frame q and the fingers 1', s, t, and u are shown, as in. the other drawings, as also are the contact-posts a: and 3 The solenoid, however, and motor and source of electricity are shown in diagrammatic form. Referrin nowto this Fig. 9 2 ma 1 indicate a enerator as a source of electricity; 3, the armature of a motor; l, the field of the latter, and 5 any conventional switch or rheostat.

It will be observed, first, that the contactposts so and y are the terminals of a circuit (indicatedby the numeral 6) which includes the field 4 of the motor. It will also be observed that the spring-finger ton one side of the frame g which is located opposite one. side of the post y and the spring-finger s 011 the other arm of the frame which is located opposite one side of the post as are connected together by a wire '7, the other two fingers u and 1' being similarly connected together by a wire 8. It is thus obvious that if the fingers r and s are first brought into contact with the posts at and y and this contact be broken and the fingers tand u then brought into contact with the other side of these posts any current in either of the wires 7 or 8 would pass through the field 4 in reverse directions. Connection is made with the source 2 directly to the finger r, on one side of the frame q and opposite the'post 2 and to the finger t, on the opposite side of said frame located opposite the other side of said post 3 These connections consist of the wires 9, running from the source to the armature 3 of the motor, and from the latter the wire is carried to a suitable binding-post 10 and from thence through one of the springs q to the finger i, the other side of the connection consisting of a wire 12, running from the source to abinding-post 13, and from thence to the finger 1', through the other spring g. It is thus seen that the course of the current is from the fingers r to u and from If to s and that the movement of the swinging frame q will close the circuit 6, causing the current to flow therethrough in like manner, but the current will flow therethrough in an opposite direction.

There remains but one circuit to be described and that is the shunt-circuit through the solenoid, which latter is indicated in the diagram by b, which is the same indicatingletter as is used in other figures, although the solenoid is shown only in Fig. 9 in diagrammatic form. This circuit consists in'a wire 14, connected to the wire 9 between the armature 3 and the source 2, and running to one side of the switch 5, another wire 15 running from the other side of the switch to one end of the solenoid-coil, and from the opposite end of said coil the wire 15 is carried to and connected with the binding-post 13. This solenoid-circuit, therefore, may be traced as follows: from the source 2 through the wire 9 and the wire 14 to one side of the switch 5; from the opposite side of the switch 5 through the wire 15, and from the solenoid-coil to the binding-post 13, and from thence by the wire 12 to the source Thus by manipulating the switch 5 the solenoid may be cut in and out of the circuit which includes, the source, as desired, and as the solenoid actuates the swinging frame q, whereby the motor-circuit is closed, it is seen that the control of the motor resides in the switch or rheostat 5.

The operation of the device is as follows,

' assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the motor therefor revolving, thecircuit 6 being closed: If now the circuit in which the solenoid is included is opened, its core 0 will be released and will drop and with it the slide g and the oscillating finger 1' supported thereon.

that the finger 2' is tilted to the right and in its descent to the position shown in Fig. at will remain tilted in this direction more or less after the point thereof is in position to swing under the web 0, and hence the point of the fingerm will strike on the inclined lower edge of the finger 7: to the right of the apex of its V-shaped lower edge, and coming to a bearing in a notch under the earj will cause the finger to swing over to the left, and if the solenoid-circuit be now closed theupward movement of the core and slide g will carry \the point of the finger 1' up into the notch to of the frame q, located to the left of the pivotal point of the latter, and swing the frame on its pivot, causing the contact-points of the arms 4' and s to swing against the posts 3 and m. Now when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the contact-points of the arms tand ulie against the posts wand y, and hence then the course of the current through the circuit 6 would be as follows: Starting from the source 2, the course of the current will be through the wire 9 and the armature 3 of the motor, for example, to the binding-post 10,

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1

the wire 6, thence through the field at of the motor back tothe post a;, against which the arm uis held through this arm and wire-con nection 8 to the line 12, and thence to the source 2. Assuming now that the fingerst and u are swung away from the contact-posts cc and y and the fingers r and s swung into contact therewith, then the current passing through the line 9 from the binding-post 10 would pass through the Wire connection 7 to the finger s, then through the post 00 and circuit 6, traversing the field 4 in a direction opposite to that of the current which enters the field 4 through the contact-post g. It is there fore apparent that the current may be sent through the circuit 6 in either direction'at will by the interruption of the solenoid-circuit and that a succession of interruptions of this last-named circuit will result in a sue cession of alternate changes in the direction of the current through the circuit 6, and, as has been stated, while this switch has been shown and described herein in its application to a motor, whereby the direction of rotation of the armature of the latter may be effected, it must be understood that the invention is not confined to its use in this connection, which serves only to illustrate one of its various modes of application.

In this application the claims will be confined to the switch proper, in combination with the circuit 6 and a circuit which will include a suitable source of energy and the solenoid. Claims embracing the motor in connection with the switch will be made in another ap-' plication.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, isr 1. An electrical switch having two contactposts which constitute the terminals of a nor-. mally open electrical circuit, four movable contact-fingers arranged in pairs, each pair being adapted to swing against said posts alternatel y electrical connections between that contact-finger of each pair which contacts with one of the said posts, and the contactfinger of the other pair which contacts with the other post; a second circuit connected with each pair of fingers, a source of electricity in said second circuit, and means for opening and closing the latter.

2. An electrical switch having two contactposts which constitute the terminals of a normany open circuit, two pairs of contact-fingers mounted to swing against opposite sides of said posts alternately, and cross connec-.

tions between said posts and said fingers whereby when the pair of fingers on one side.

of said posts is brought into contact withthe' latter said normally open circuit will beclosed and the current will flow through it in one direction, and whereby when the other pair of contact-fingers is brought into contact with said posts,the current through said circuit .will be reversed.

IIO

electrical circuit in which said solenoid is included, together with a source of electricity and means for opening and closing said circuit; contact-posts in said switch constituting the terminals of a second circuit, two pairs of contact-fingers supported in proximity to the posts, and suitable connections between said fingers and the core of said solenoid whereby the opening and closing of said solenoid-circuit will cause a shifting of the contact-fingers from one position to the other, together with suitable electrical connections between the fingers whereby said alternate contact of each pair of fingers will effect a reversal of the current through said posts.

4:. An electrical switch having two contact posts which constitute the terminals of a normally open circuit, contact-fingers movable against opposite sides of said posts alternately, and cross connections between said posts and said fingers whereby when the fingers on one side of the posts are brought into contact with the latter said normally open circuit will be closed and the current will flow through it in one direction, and whereby when other contact-fingers are moved against said posts the currentthrough the circuit will be reversed.

5. An electrical switch having two contactposts which constitute the terminals of a normally open circuit, contact-fingers movable against said posts at different times, and cross connections between said posts and said fingers whereby when certain of the fingers are brought into contact with said posts the normally open circuit will be closed and the current will fiow therethrough in one direction, and whereby when other of the contact-fingers are moved against said posts the current through said circuit will be reversed.

6. In an electrical switch, separate terminal members included in a normally open working circuit, separate pairs of contacts cooperating with the terminal members, circuitwire connections between the contacts and also with a source of energy, said connections being so arranged as to reverse the current through the working circuit according to the contacts in action, and an operatingcircuit, having a single manual circuit opening and closing device therefor and including a solenoid-controlled means for changing the position of the said contacts.

7. In an electrical switch, separate terminal members included in a normally open working circuit, separate pairs of contacts cooperating with the terminal members, circuitwire connections between the contacts and also with a source of energy, said connections being so arranged as to reverse the current through the working circuit according to the contacts in action, and an auxiliary circuit in shunt with the circuit including the source of energy, said auxiliary circuit including magnetcontrolled operating means for adjusting the position of said contacts.

8. In an electrical switch, apair of contactposts constituting the terminals of a normally open working circuit, a switch-frame having separate pairs of contacts alternately movable to and from the posts, circuit-wire connections between the contacts and also with a source of energy, a solenoid included in an operatingcircuit therefor, and an adjusting device carried with the solenoid-core and coacting with the switch-frame to shift the same from one position to the other.

9. In an electrical switch, a pair of contactposts for the terminals of a normally open working circuit, an oscillatory switch-frame having separate pairs of contacts cooperating with the posts at different times, circuit-wire connections between the contacts and also with a source of energy, a solenoid included in an operating-circuit therefor, an oscillatory adjusting device carried with the solenoid-core and coacting with the switch-frame to shift the same, fand a suitably-arranged tappet for shifting the position of the adjusting device.

10. In an electrical switch, a pair of contactposts for the terminals of a norm ally open working circuit, an oscillatory switch-frame having separate pairs of contacts cooperating with the posts, a reciprocatory member carried with the solenoid-core, an oscillatory adjusting device carried by said reciprocatory member and engaging with the switch-frame to shift the same, and a suitably-arranged tappet for shifting the position of the adjusting device.

11. In an electrical switch, a pair of contactposts for the terminals of a working circuit, an oscillatory switch-frame having separate pairs of contacts cooperating with the posts, a reciprocatory member carried with the solenoid-core, an oscillatory adjusting device carried by the reciprocatory member and engaging with the switch-frame during its movement in one direction for shifting such frame, and a tappet arranged in the path of the adjusting device for engagement thereby during its movement in the other direction.

12. In an electrical switch, a pair of contactposts for the terminals of a working circuit, an oscillatory switch-frame having separate pairs of contacts cooperating with the posts and also provided with oppositely-arranged notched inclines, a reciprocatory slide carried with the solenoid-core, an oscillatory adjusting-finger pivotally mounted upon the slide and having its heel portion provided with shouldered inclines, and a tappet arranged to engage with either of the shouldered inclines of the ad j Listing-finger in its movement away from the switch-frame.

13. In an electrical switch, a pair of contactposts for the terminals of a working circuit, an oscillatory switch-frame having a pivotal support and opposite pairs of contact-fingers for engagement with the contact-posts at dif ferent times, said switch-frame being further provided with oppositely-arranged notched inclines, a reciprocatory member carried with the solenoid-core, a fixed guide-web, an oscillatory adjusting-finger pivotally mounted on ranged to engage with either of the shoulthe reciproeatory member and adapted to be dered inclines of the adjusting-finger in its guided at either side of the fixed guide-Web movement away from the switch-frame.

in its movement toward the switch-frame, WM. H. SPILLER. said adjusting-finger having its heel portion Witnesses: provided with shouldered inclines, and a WM. H. CHAPIN,

springcentered tilta-ble tappet-finger ar- K. I. OLEMONS. 

